2015 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 45a - Probate Courts and Procedure
Chapter 802b - Decedents’ Estates
Section 45a-433 - (Formerly Sec. 45-273). Distribution of intestate estates.

(a) After payment of expenses and charges, an intestate estate shall be distributed by the administrator or other fiduciary charged with the administration of the estate; provided the Court of Probate may, in its discretion, on its own motion or upon application by any interested person, appoint three disinterested persons to make the distribution.

(b) If all the persons interested in the estate legally capable of acting and all fiduciaries for any other persons interested in the estate make and file in the court a division of the estate, made, executed and acknowledged like deeds of land, such division, being recorded in the records of the court, shall be a valid distribution of the estate. Any such fiduciary may petition the court of probate which appointed him for permission to enter into such a division, and such permission may be granted or, for cause shown, denied by the court, after a hearing on such petition held on such notice as the court may order.

(c) If any intestate estate consists wholly of real property, the Court of Probate shall issue a certificate of descent to the heirs at law, as provided by section 45a-450, without formal distribution or without a mutual distribution as provided for in this section, unless there is filed in the Court of Probate, within one month after the acceptance of the administration account, the ascertainment of the distributees and the order of distribution, a mutual distribution executed by all of such heirs at law or a return of distribution as provided by this section.

(1949 Rev., S. 7057; 1969, P.A. 232, S. 1; P.A. 80-476, S. 319.)

History: 1969 act included fiduciaries for persons interested in the estate as parties to making and filing of division and added provision re fiduciary’s petition to enter into division; P.A. 80-476 divided section into Subsecs. and made minor changes in wording; Sec. 45-273 transferred to Sec. 45a-433 in 1991.

Annotations to former section 45-273:

Claims not barred by distribution. K. 429; 6 C. 267; 22 C. 279. Heirs cannot sue for conversion of personal property before distribution. 1 D. 152. Distribution cannot be made by distributors appointed by heirs. 3 D. 264. Heirs are tenants in common until distribution. 5 D. 218. Heirs have no title to or right to possession of personal property until distribution. 4 C. 349. Reversionary interest in dower land may be distributed during life of widow; on appeal, it may be shown that distribution is unjust. 9 C. 230. Statute de distribution does not deprive heirs of power to divide their estate by deed. 14 C. 123. No distributors necessary when estate consists wholly of cash. 16 C. 317. Decree accepting return of distributors conclusive except on appeal. 17 C. 392; 24 C. 246; 38 C. 271. Where will provides rule for distribution it must be followed. 19 C. 317. Law of domicile governs distribution of personal estate. 21 C. 582. Widow’s share in personal estate vests in her administrator when she dies before distribution. 26 C. 352. Distribution is not affected by prior conveyances by an heir of his interest in estate. 29 C. 419; 53 C. 37. Distributions to be liberally construed. 31 C. 588. Evidence of distributors as to what they intended by certain language in distribution inadmissible. 42 C. 270. If necessary distributors should make reappraisal. Id., 346. Intent governs in construction of distribution. 43 C. 545. Mutual distribution not executed in accordance with requirements of statute does not preclude an order of distribution. 54 C. 228. Distribution must recognize, but cannot impose, conditions on estate. 64 C. 40. Rights of heirs before distribution. 67 C. 1; 69 C. 616; 75 C. 601; 83 C. 351; 84 C. 212; 84 C. 569; 87 C. 85. Cited. 69 C. 78. History and nature of distribution. Id., 611; 72 C. 153; 75 C. 33. Estate must be before court in orderly way; if administrator is dead a successor must be appointed. 70 C. 377. Acceptance of mutual distribution does not oust court of jurisdiction to adjudicate on administration account. 72 C. 559. Informal distribution of personalty; rights of creditors. 75 C. 33. Parties may make any distribution they can mutually agree upon. Id.; 86 C. 471; 89 C. 427; 104 C. 104. Distribution relates back to death. 75 C. 598; 81 C. 442. Long acquiescence in division may cause it to be upheld. 75 C. 598; 88 C. 686; 91 C. 12, but see 80 C. 363. Distribution not source of title. 78 C. 485; 89 C. 427; 91 C. 12, but see 75 C. 40. Distribution will not be construed to impute irregularities to court and distributors. 80 C. 371. Stock may be distributed in fractional parts. 81 C. 95. Heir not included who goes into possession; he may claim adversely. 90 C. 562. All parties interested must join in a mutual distribution. 104 C. 104. Cited. 111 C. 591; 137 C. 610.

Cited. 13 CA 45.

Cited. 40 CS 484.